1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to signal flags and a signalling system for motor racing, particularly for section observers on racing courses.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As is commonly known, the section observers prescribed by the regulations in motor racing have, among others, the duty to observe the section of the racing course allocated to them and to transmit certain information and instructions to the drivers. For this purpose, each section observer has a predetermined number, generally at least six, signal flags in different colors. By waving one of these flags, a certain racing situation is indicated to the drivers, and a corresponding instruction or warning is given. Among these signal flag colors, xe2x80x9cyellowxe2x80x9d indicates an accident, danger and that passing is prohibited, xe2x80x9credxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94a termination of the race, xe2x80x9cbluexe2x80x9dxe2x80x94let pass, xe2x80x9cgreenxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94free track, xe2x80x9cwhitexe2x80x9dxe2x80x94service vehicles or slower racing cars are on the course, and xe2x80x9cyellow-redxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94a contamination of the race track and oil. For the drivers to securely recognize the respective signal color the respective position of the section observer must be in the direct field of vision of the drivers.
For reasons of safety, present day racing courses have widened lateral roll spaces and elastic barriers between the race track and the audience. Since the section observers also have to be positioned on the outside of these roll spaces, due to the increase of the distance between the drivers and the section observers, danger has increased that a section observer waving a selected signal flag may be overlooked or not noticed in time. These risks are particularly severe, for example, during so called rain races, since the wetness of the track is converted into a fine spray mist which may severely affect the vision of the drivers. Particular problems are further caused in motor bike races since the field of vision of the drivers is severely limited due to the occasionally extremely inclined orientation of curves.
It is a primary purpose of the invention to increase the visibility effect of the signals shown by the section observers and to increase the overall safety of motor races.
This purpose is met, at lease in part, by providing light elements, preferably directly on the rod of the flag, and by emitting the generated high energy light in the color of the respective flag cloth. By this means the visibility effect of the signal flag waved is significantly increased, even during unfavorable visual conditions, so that the drivers who are highly stressed anyway may more safely recognize the signals indicating a certain situation in the progress of the race and may react correspondingly in their driving conduct.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, a further increase in visibility is obtained by forming the light elements provided individually, or preferably in groups, on the respective flag rod as electric blinking lamps emitting more or less directed halogen light. As known, for example, from the rear reflectors of airplanes or also from safety equipment in street traffic, the effect of visibility of lamps is increased by the repetitive blinking of the lamps. For the same purpose, the respective colors of the flag cloth and, if necessary, also the flag rod, may be reflective or phosphorescent, or both, so that they remain visible due to the partial illumination by the blinking lamps.
A simple handling of the signal flags is advantageously realized by providing an individual energy supply for the light elements of each flag rod, for example, advantageously in the form of rechargeable electric batteries which may be connected to the respective light elements by means of an on/off switch located or the flag rod adjacent to the handle. On the other hand, there is, of course the possibility to connect each individual flag to a control unit and its energy supply via a cable weighing as little as possible.
Efficaciously, a special accommodation including individually designated mounts, for example, in the shape of clamps, for the individual signal flags is respectively provided for one signal flag set comprising, for example, six flags. Electronic switching functions may be assigned to the individual elements of those mounts so that the batteries of the individual signal flags may be recharged during the times of their accommodation.
The subject matter of the invention is further a signalling system for motor racing which is based on the predetermined number of signal flags formed according to the invention and comprises a blinking device including blinking lamps emitting light in the colors of the signal flags as well as an electric control device for operating the signal flags and the blinking device in addition to the signal flags to be positioned in the designated mounts on a common accommodation.
The blinking device is automatically switched on simultaneously with the respective signal flag and emits light with a high intensity in the colors of the respective signal flag in the direction of the approaching vehicles. The blinking effect of this blinking device preferably formed of groups of blinking lamps having the same color increases the visibility of the signals given by the section observer. Efficaciously, this blinking device is mounted on an individual post so that it may also be positioned in a certain distance from the section observer. The electronic control device not only serves the supply of electric energy but also coordinates the operations of switching on and off the respective signal flag and the associated group of blinking lamps of the blinking device.
A special aspect of the signalling system according to the invention with respect to a most simple and reliable operation rests in a special arrangement of the accommodation for the signal flags, the mounts of which have also an electronic switching function so that by removing a flag from the mount the blinking lamps provided on its rod as well as the associated groups of lamps of the blinking device are turned on. As soon as the respective signal flag is returned to the associated mount of the accommodation by the section observer, a deactivation is effected and thus the blinking lamps of the signal flag as well as of the blinking device are turned off.
In a particularly advantageous further development of the invention, the signalling system may be communicatively linked to the control center, typically located off the racing course, for example, via laid cables, direct radio transmission or satellite transmission. Any operation of a signal flag by the section observer is automatically transmitted to the control center via this communications link so that the race management is always informed of all activities of the section observers and thus of the complete progress of the race. On the other hand, this communications link makes it possible for the race management to issue acoustic or optical instructions to the respective section observers, for example, to wave the red or yellow signal flag on each section of the course after heavy accidents to signal pending danger or the termination of the race to all drivers almost simultaneously. In addition, there is also a possibility that the race management may activate certain blinking lamps on the respective flag mounts via the respective control devices of the used number of signalling systems to inform the section observer in this way that he is to wave the signal flag thus indicated. The associated blinking lamps of that flag, as well as the corresponding group of lamps on the blinking device, are simultaneously activated. For the purpose of data or signal transmission, the electric control unit of the signalling system is efficaciously provided with a receiver or transmitter or receiver/transmitter unit for the optical or acoustic signals.
A further important aspect of the invention is that the signalling systems for the individual section observers are linked to the electronic data processing equipment of the control center so that the data transmitted from said signalling systems are stored in the electronic data processing equipment and are processed together with other data arrays. Such other data arrays may, for example, originate from induction loops laid out in predetermined sections of the racing course and concertedly register the passing of each racing car by co-operating with the transponder inherent to the same. By a programmed processing of the thus obtained data the complete racing event may be electronically detected and stored for later use as well as displayed on appropriate monitors in addition to television screens. In addition, there arises the practically important option of controlling the regulations over the complete racing event, even after the termination of the respective race, for example, within the framework of opposition proceedings or for imposing punitive measures against individual drivers. This also applies to training rounds in the course of which the drivers are to observe certain rules as well. For example, best times in rounds driven during the time trials are not acknowledged when during the training drive one of the section observers has shown the yellow signal flag signaling danger. Since the exposition or activation of that yellow flag will be registered by the electronic data processing equipment of the control center and, additionally, the signals generated by the induction loops laid out in the track with any passage due to the vehicle inherent transponders are also sent to the data processing equipment, by an appropriate linking or processing of those received data any violation of the rules by a driver who, for example, has passed a driver driving in front of him after a yellow signal flag has been waved, can be unmistakably determined and recorded.